What is the Best Kind of Ear Protection?

Your ears are intricate and complex structures that can be damaged very easily. While physical knocks and blows can harm them, most ears get damaged by noise. Speak to any hearing health professional, and they’ll confess that most hearing loss is caused by damage to the ears through loud sounds and noises. 

The good news is that this can so easily be prevented. You can turn down the volume on your TV or music player, but you should also invest in some form of ear protection. With ear protection, you can stop loud noises from damaging your ears. They block out a lot of sounds, making things appear quieter than they actually are. 

Ear protection comes in many different forms, but what is the best kind you can buy? Well, we can’t point out a specific device as it depends on why you need ear protection and when you’re wearing them. But we can provide a few key points that help you find the best kind of ear protection: 

Comfortable ear protection

The comfort of the device is more important than you think. If your ear protection is comfortable, then you’re more inclined to wear it. Plus, it will fit snugly and encourage you to keep them in for longer. For these reasons, custom ear protection is usually the best kind you can find for maximum comfort. These devices are provided by hearing health professionals after they take molds of your ears. By doing this, they can construct ear protection that’s purpose-built for you. They’re more comfortable than universal ear protection devices, meaning you’ll keep them in for longer and use them more often. 

Noise reduction rating (NRR)

Your ear protection is only as good as the NRR. The NRR is a rating that’s given to all ear protection devices, and it tells you how powerful they are. You’ll see a figure, and this shows the number of decibels that the device reduces sound by. So, if it has an NRR of 22, then it lowers the sounds you hear by that amount. 

The best kind of ear protection is one that offers an NRR that provides ample protection for your ears. If you’re around noises that are 85 decibels or higher, then you’re at risk of hearing damage. Therefore, the best ear protection will bring you below this level. 

Additional features

For most people, the ideal ear protection will be custom fitted for your ears and offer a suitable NRR to help your hearing. However, some of you may require additional features as well. Ear protection can be built to help reduce sounds but also provide extra functionality for the person who is wearing these as well. For example, musicians can use in-ear monitors that muffle background noises but still lets them hear the music they’re playing, just at a quieter volume. There is also ear protection with microphones that allow you to speak to other people wearing the same ear protection – almost like a pair of headphones. 

The bottom line is that the best kind of ear protection depends on your specific requirements. So, if you want to find the perfect device for your ears, then think about the three points above. The best product will fit perfectly, provide all the protection you require, and have any extra functions you desire as well.